Kentucky Race Recap

AJ ALLMENDINGER
No. 43 Valvoline Ford Fusion
■AJ Allmendinger started from the 23rd spot Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway
■Allmendinger wheeled his way to a 28th place finishing position
■Unofficially, Allmendinger sits in 18th place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver point standings

Race Summary: AJ Allmendinger lined up for the start of the inaugural NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Kentucky Speedway in the 23rd spot after rain showers forced the cancellation of qualifying. In the early laps of the event, Allmendinger relayed to Crew Chief Mike Shiplett that the Valvoline Ford was loose.

A competition caution on Lap 31 enabled Allmendinger to duck into the pits for four fresh tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment. The California native lined up for the Lap 36 restart in the 25th position. Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before Allmendinger communicated to the crew that the changes made hadn’t helped the car, and in fact, the car was even more of a handful than before.

Shiplett made adjustments to the handling of the car on every stop, but the changes made didn’t seem to do much to help the Valvoline machine. Allmendinger held down the 28th spot at Lap 147 and had lost one lap to the leaders. He was running in the 31st spot when the caution came out with 28 laps remaining in the 267-lap event. Shiplett called his driver onto pit lane for a two-tire stop and when the green flag flew for the restart, the No. 43 Valvoline Ford lined back up in the 31st position. Allmendinger gained several positions in the closing laps and when the checkered flag flew, the No. 43 Ford Fusion held down the 28th spot.

Allmendinger slipped several positions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup driver point standings and unofficially sits in 18th position. The Cup Series will head to New Hampshire Motor Speedway next weekend.

Credit - Richard Petty Motorsports PR